Kathy Pipping Harris
Thanksgiving time and all the relatives were gathered around the long table； or seated behind TV trays。 The television was on and some folks were watching it while visiting with one another。
Something on television got their attention and one of the adults said； “Listen at it！”Someone else replied； “Well； if that don’t beat all。”
Simple phrases were spoken by folks whose language was simple and concise。 They had several idioms that were just as colorful—phrases and words that brightened the room and warmed the conversation。
In school we were taught to speak differently。 The way our relatives spoke was discouraged。 Sometimes our parents would say things we weren’t taught in school。 They’d often correct themselves； as if erasing a mistake。
Of course we learned some of their phrases and used them。 They were fortable words to utter； familiar。
Our father’s side of the family was from Arkansas and Oklahoma and they spoke with the accents native to their birth states。 Their voices musical and often high pitched； it was easy to pick up that inflection in our own speech and at school my brother and I were often teased for the way we spoke。
Our mother’s side of the family came from Illinois and they had a tendency to talk fast。 They had an accent； too； and my brother and I added that to our own speech； confusing the kids at school all the more。
Our father’s side of the family loved to laugh and have a good time。 Our mother’s side of the family was more serious about how they took life in—their joys more silently experienced and enjoyed。
It was a rich tapestry of culture and mores to draw from and it gave my brother and me a multi…faceted perspective at life。
Thanksgiving holiday was always an easygoing day； fortable and anticipated。 It was the first real holiday of the season when everyone came together in one place； and a “durn”good time was had by all。
As the years played out； more of the family passed on and the get…togethers grew smaller and smaller。 The gentle melodious tones that once filled the home during the holiday had thinned out。 Where the room was once filled with TV trays and long tables； now only one table is set。 The food is still great。 But the room is more quiet； the mood subdued。
“Care to walk a spell？” My brother asked me after the meal。
“Sure！”
We put our jackets on and stepped outside。
“Which way？” I said。
He shrugged。“Doesn’t matter。 Down the road a piece。” He pointed to the left and we took off。
It was a chilly Thanksgiving afternoon； late in the day and the air was hazy with wood smoke。 The streets were quiet as we strolled through the neighborhood we once played in。 Remembering the families that once lived in certain homes。 We passed the field where we dug the earth out and created a fort。 The two trees we used for tree houses。 The flood control basin where we caught lizards and tadpoles and took our dogs to let them run free。 Somewhere in the skeletal trees that lined the sidewalk a Mockingbird sang loud and clear； breaking the solitude。
My brother punched me in the shoulder； the trace of a smile breaking on his face。 “Listen at it！”
I shook my head； laughed。 We walked on and my eyes filled a bit with tears as I heard the refrain in my head from a room filled with relatives。。。
Listen at it！
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难忘的时刻（1）
兰斯·阿姆斯特朗
俗话说：“你应当把每一天都当作生命的最后一天来过。”这个观点确实不错，然而却起不到什么作用。以我为例，我曾经这样试过，以下就是我所得到的教训：假如我一味贪图享乐，只为一时的快活而生活的话，我将会变成一个糟糕的丈夫和父亲、一个一连三天都不刮胡子的废物。癌症让我认识到：困难是幸福生活中必不可少的一部分，并且如同福祐一般美妙至极。
在患癌症之前，凡是我能想象得到的所有快乐，统统让我感到厌烦，或者在厌烦之后就将其搁置一边。一个公事包、一辆保时捷、一台咖啡机——这些东西对我来说都是至关重要的，当然，其中还包括我的头发。然而我却失去了这一切，连同我的头发。
在我25岁的时候，我被诊断出了睾丸癌，而且已进入晚期，癌细胞已经扩散到了肺部和大脑。我卖掉了汽车，放弃了成为一名世界级赛车手的梦想，治病花了很大一笔钱，差点连命也丢掉了。等身体好些之后，我觉得快乐就意味着自我放纵。谁也不知道我还剩下多少时间，我再也不想在剩下的时间里忍受煎熬了。
几个月以来，我尝尽了恐惧的折磨，大剂量的化疗在我的皮肤上留下了烧伤般的烙印，除此之外，我还经历了一次手术——同时将两个肿瘤摘除。那时，我猛然领悟到应该享受快乐的滋味。因此，我吃墨西哥的食品，打高尔夫球，懒洋洋地躺在睡椅上。对我来说，追逐快乐就是去最中意的餐厅，惬意地享受一盘加了黏果酸酱汁的墨西哥肉酱玉米卷。
但是，两件事情改变了我。第一件事发生在一次晚饭后。我的妻子克里斯汀放下了手中的餐具，对我说：“你必须做出决定：下半辈子你是不是想沦为一个只会打高尔夫、喝啤酒和吃墨西哥食物的懒汉。如果是的话，我依然爱你。然而我必须知道你的决定，假如真是那样的话，我就要外出找份工作，我不想在你打高尔夫的时候还在家里待着。”
我目不转睛地望着她。
“我觉得无聊透顶！”她说道。
突然之间，我意识到自己已经无聊至极，生活也已没有目标。我意识到所要承担的责任、每天早上要刮胡子、有一份工作、一个值得我爱的妻子，所有这一切构成了我的生活，而这也是生命意义的所在。
几天之后，我又重新回到了自行车的车座上。在我的生命中，我第一次真正用体力和毅力去为一个明确的目标前行。
改变我的第二个时刻是随着儿子卢克的降生而到来的。我生长在缺少父爱的家庭里，在我还不会走路之前，父亲就离开了家。因此，我曾立下誓言，假如我有了自己的孩子，我一定会给他全面的呵护。
因为患有癌症，想要一个孩子显然不是那么容易的一件事。我采用了精子冷藏的方法。而克里斯汀必须要接受一次手术，通过人工授精的方法，她怀上了卢克。胎儿正常地生长着，但是在分娩的时候，克里斯汀却遇到了困难。婴儿命在旦夕，医生只好用镊子把他夹了出来。他是那么小，肤色发青，没有哭闹声，他的肺里竟然没有氧气！因此，他们把他从克里斯汀的身旁抱走，把他带进另一个病房，把吸氧面具罩在他的脸上，将氧气打进他的肺里。
我记得自己无助地站在那里，克里斯汀看着我不停地问：“这是怎么回事？孩子到底怎么了？”而我却无法回答她。看着医生们忙忙碌碌，我却帮不上忙。尽管经历过许多可怕的事情，但此刻的焦虑已经超越了以往所有的恐惧。
医生们在那间病房不停地进出，我在心里祈求道：“哭吧，快哭一声吧。”我已经被吓呆了，那一刻，我愿意做任何事，只为能听到他的一声哭喊。
接着，我看到他们把面罩从他的脸上拿开，他张着小嘴，脸都扭成了一团，然后发出了响亮而有力的一声哭喊：“哇！”
难忘的时刻（2）
这就是生命的哀号。我一度想来教导他，然而如今他却向我证明了一点：活着，就要坚强。只有不断拼搏，生命才能继续。
癌症成就了如今的我：经历了恐惧和痛苦，我变成了一个更富有同情心，更具智慧的人、一位丈夫和一位父亲，因此，我活得更加有意义了。
把卢克初次抱回家后的那无数个夜晚我依然记忆犹新。有的时候，我会把卢克从小床里抱出来，把他抱到我的床上，让他躺在我的胸口上一起睡。
他的每一声哭喊都让我感到喜悦。他会把头往后一仰，下巴打着颤，小手在空中乱抓，然后放声号啕大哭。“好样的，这就对了，”我鼓励着他，“哭吧，继续放声大哭吧。”
My Unforgettable Moment
Lance Armstrong
The old saying that you should live each day as though it’s your last is a nice sentiment； but it doesn’t work。 Take it from me。 I tried it once and here’s what I learned： if I pursued only happiness and lived just for the moment； I’d be a poor husband and father； a waster with a perpetual1 three…day growth on my chin。 Cancer taught me that。 Suffering； I learned； is as essential to a good life； and as inextricable2 as bliss。
Before cancer； whatever I imagined happiness to be； pretty soon I wore it out； took it for granted or threw it away。 A portfolio； a Porsche； a coffee machine—these things were important to me。 So was my hair。 Then I lost them； including the hair。
When I was 25； I was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer； which had metastasized into my lungs and brain。 I sold my car； gave up my career as a world… class cyclist； lost a good deal of money and barely hung on to my life。 When I went into remission； I thought happiness would mean being self…indulgent。 Not knowing how much time I had left； I did not intent to suffer ever again。
I had suffered months of fear； chemotherapy so strong it left burn…like marks under my skin and surgery to remove two tumours。 Happiness to me then was waking up。 I ate Mexican food； played golf and lay on the couch。 The pursuit of happiness meant going to my favorite restaurant and pursuing a plate of enchiladas with tomatillo sauce。
Two events changed me。 The first happened one night at dinner。 My wife Kristin put down her fork and said； “You need to decide something： are you going to be a golf…playing； beer…drinking； Mexican…food…eating slob for the rest of your life？ If you are； I’ll still love you。 But I need to know because； if so； I’ll go and get a job。 I’m not going to sit at home while you play golf。”
I stared at her。
“I’m so bored。”she said。
Suddenly I understood that I was bored too。 Bored and purposeless。 I realized that responsibility； the routines and habits of shaving in the morning； having a job to do and a wife to love—these were the things that tied my days together and gave them a pattern deserving of the term living。
In days I was back on my bike。 For the first time in my life； I rode with real strength and stamina3—and purpose。 。。
难忘的时刻（3）
The second moment arrived along with the birth of my son Luck。 I gr